November 21, 2014
There is an actual Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, a collection of M. Lavinia Warren Bump Stratton's incomplete memoirs. They, like Benjamin's fictional (though fact-based) narrative, mainly discuss Vinnie's childhood; her time as the tiniest, most adorable, and yet competent school teacher; and her years as a performer, an "oddity" who became famous worldwide for her diminutive stature and her marriage to Charles Stratton, aka Tom Thumb.
I must admit, I knew little about "Tom Thumb" before reading this book. When I read June Melby's memoir about her family's miniature golf course, called Tom Thumb, I recognized the name; I thought he was a mythological being.
Nope, he was real. His "proportionate dwarfism" was caused by a family history of inbreeding. Same with Vinnie and Minnie. Vinnie's connections to the Warren family of Massachusetts was repeatedly mentioned; P.T. Barnum banked on this as he presented her as a tiny society lady, no object of ridicule like other little people in entertainment. Vinnie had ancestors who came over on the Mayflower. That makes me think of Gilmore Girls (I've about binged out on all the episodes by now; thanks, Netflix). When Rory is disrespected by Logan's snotty family, she points out that she had ancestors on the Mayflower as well. And there was also inbreeding in her family. Though nowadays, if descendants of early inbreeding society families develop "proportionate dwarfism," they can get hormonal growth supplements or something.
Vinnie is depicted as being vulnerable with a tough exterior. She's always felt a need to protect her smaller sister, yet she brings her with her into the world of entertainment. But Barnum keeps them protected in the business end of things; during their hey day, it sounds like things were pretty damn sweet for General and Mrs. Tom Thumb.
They were huge celebrities. Their wedding got the same kind of publicity as the most high profile weddings today (think royalty, not Kardashian). They had powerful friends, and travelled the world. But Benjamin depicts Vinnie as being unhappy and insecure, though she does love to perform. She's so different, it's the only place she's ever felt like she could fit.
Vinnie's marriage to Stratton is depicted as being not loveless, but completely lacking in passion. I mean, no sex at all. Vinnie was terrified of the prospect of getting pregnant, and that's no surprise. She was just over two feet tall; she was born a normal-sized baby, typical in "proportionate dwarfism." Minnie herself died in childbirth; her baby was normal-sized, of course. Just try not to picture it...gruesome.
So maybe the no sex at all idea is realistic, but I would be curious to know the true nature of the "Thumbs" and their married life. I'm not saying I want to picture little people doing the nasty, I'd just want proof that Benjamin wasn't quite right. Otherwise, I feel really bad for both of them.
Much of Benjamin's plot revolves around the idea that Vinnie was in love with Barnum. The author's notes on her research indicate that the events of the book are fact-based, but there's no real note on why Benjamin interpreted their relationship this way. But then again, since Stratton was a good friend of Barnum, it makes sense that Vinnie and Barnum would also be close. Barnum essentially arranged the marriage; this is undoubtedly so. He made them two of the biggest celebrities in the world. P.T. Barnum seems like he was a fascinating man, if he was mainly concerned with money and fame. But Benjamin softens him; he really cares for his friends.
There's a lot of historical fiction published these days, and this is one from a unique perspective. Some of the themes in this book grew tedious over time (as Vinnie reflects on the same fears over and over again), but overall I found this an interesting story. Plus, as I've said, I love books that teach me something, and that's what I look for in quality historical fiction.
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